In the current information age, information technology (IT) tools play a significant role in our daily activities, and there are often discussions of the desirableness of a paperless society. Information technology tools are typically employed as a means to improve efficiency in the workplace (as well as elsewhere). For example, scanners and multi-function peripherals (MFP) may be utilized to convert hardcopy documents into electronic form, thereby decreasing the need for physical storage space and at the same time allowing the information in the paper documents to be transmitted quickly and more readily.
In such circumstances, as well as others, an often-repeated process can be streamlined by employing workflow tools, such that the sequence of operations in the process may be automated, as much as possible. For example, document workflow software may be provided to specify a document workflow process for scan document delivery from MFP, such as in an enterprise environment. Such document workflow process may include, for example, (i) scan hardcopy document to obtain document image, (ii) convert document image to multi-page PDF file, (iii) apply watermark thereto, and (iv) send watermarked image(s) to document management server or email.
In many contexts, there may be a need to stamp each document (or set of documents) with a document identifier, to more efficiently identify or classify a particular document. In many instances, such identifier is mechanically or even manually applied to a hardcopy document, in a less-than-efficient manner.
Even when a document workflow system permits an identifier to be superposed as image data in the document image in a document workflow process, such system requires a high-level of user interaction or, in the case of multiple user, high-level of user-coordination. That is, in the case that the identifier includes a numerical identifier unique to the particular document, it must be ensured that the numerical identifier is applied to a single document and not to any other documents. Further, when identifier prefix or suffix is included in the document identifier to categorize or specify the specific matter for which the document is being produced or reproduced, there are many instances in which it is mandatory or imperative that such prefix or suffix is accurate and appropriate and therefore user error will not be acceptable.
There is a need for provisions to permit, for example, in a legal arena, a document-handling user to select a matter or case for which the document is being produced or reproduced, without requiring the document-handling user to specify, each time a document is being produced or reproduced, the document identifier to be applied to the produced or reproduced document.